March 29, 2024

Thursday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 9/15/2022

Florida's weekly jobless claims below 5,000

Amid conflicting economic trends, first-time unemployment claims in Florida continue to slow. The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 4,995 initial jobless claims were filed in the state during the week that ended Sept. 10. That was down from a revised count of 5,472 claims during the week that ended Sept. 3 and was the lowest total since the final full week of May. More from the News Service of Florida.

Artificially cooling the ocean won’t help us combat hurricanes, according to study

Though it’s a nice idea, artificially cooling ocean surfaces won’t do much to stop the destructive power of a hurricane. The news comes from a recent study by scientists at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science. “Massive amounts of artificially cooled water would be needed for only a modest weakening in hurricane intensity before landfall,” said the study’s lead author James Hlywiak, in a release. He added that that weakening would not necessarily decrease inland damages and safety risks. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Jacksonville Jaguars crack the Forbes global 50 list

Behind the power of the NFL, the Jacksonville Jaguars cracked Forbes magazine’s list of 50 most valuable sports franchises in the world. The Jaguars ranked 44th with a value of $3.48 billion, according to the magazine’s annual ranking published Sept. 8. The value has grown 67% over five years, it said. It’s not a surprise because 30 of the NFL’s 32 teams made this year’s list as money keeps pouring in. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.

Seatrade global cruise event leaving Miami Beach for Fort Lauderdale in 2023

Seatrade Cruise Global, the cruising industry’s largest conference with over 30 years of history in Miami Beach, will move north to Fort Lauderdale for next year’s event. The annual conference is set for March 27-30, 2023, at the Broward County Convention Center. Chiara Giorgi, Seatrade’s event director, said the conference was going to be held in Miami Beach May 1-4 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, then difficulties arose securing a sufficient number of hotel rooms at a reasonable price. More from the Miami Herald.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport passenger traffic breaks record for sixth month in a row

For the sixth consecutive month, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport — also known as PIE, its airport code — has experienced record-breaking levels of passenger traffic. According to a news release, PIE welcomed 193,073 passengers in August, a 20% increase over August 2021. Year to date, 28% more travelers have departed from and/or arrived at the facility. More from the Business Observer.

Florida History
Tourists once flocked to ogle the ostriches of Jacksonville and St. Augustine

In the old days of amusement parks, pre-Disney, roadside attractions in Florida often boasted of their ostriches or alligators. Or both. Jacksonville got in on the action in 1898 when Charles D. Fraser opened the Florida Ostrich Farm on Talleyrand Avenue. It grew into a major tourist attraction, and people were nuts about their ostriches.

» More from the Florida Times-Union.

 

Entertainment
American Pickers searching for antique collections in Florida

The popular TV show American Pickers on the History Channel is planning to film episodes of the series right here in Florida this December and they’re looking for leads throughout the state to come pick from. “Specifically interesting characters with fascinating items and lots of them,” said Meredith Ball, associate producer of the show. “Keep in mind, we are looking for different, unusual, and unique items - something we’ve never seen before with an extraordinary story.”

» Read more from the Citrus County Chronicle.

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

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Florida Trend Video Pick

Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices
Bitter-to-swallow cocoa costs force chocolate shops to raise prices

Central Floirda chocolate shops are left with a bitter taste as cocoa prices hit an all-time high earlier this week.

Video Picks | Viewpoints@FloridaTrend

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